CHAPTER X. A COMPROMISE.

However, time was valuable.

Dooley and his men were momentarily nearing the spot. A conflict with them must be avoided.

But Frank first suggested that a thorough search of the vicinity be made.

This was done.

Every suspicious looking sand heap, far and near, was thrown over. No gold was found.

It was speedily seen that the quest was destined to be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

It was a reasonable supposition that the ship’s crew had removed the gold, and had started for the shore with it when overtaken by the flood. To find it now, or their bones, would require a long and patient search.

An hour had already slipped by. Dooley and his men could not be far away.

Within a radius of several hundred yards a thorough search was made.

Then distant shouts announced the arrival of Dooley. The aerial voyagers retired aboard the air-ship.

Then they tried in vain to consider the best and most logical move.

“Confound these chaps!” said Frank, angrily; “they are delaying us badly and making it as difficult for themselves to recover the gold as for us!”

“They ought to be given a lesson,” said Nicodemus.

“Ah, but I would have to redden my hands with their blood!” said Frank, “which I do not wish to do.”

“That is true. But how are we going to dispose of them?”

“That is a problem.”

The Dooley gang had now come into view upon a sand hill near. There they halted and regarded the air-ship in

The aerial voyagers every moment expected a shower of bullets.

But to their surprise these did not come. Dooley changed his tactics, very likely upon the cardinal principle that discretion is the better part of valor.

Down from the height came two men carrying a white rag on a gun barrel. One of these was Dooley himself. When within speaking distance, they halted.

“Ahoy the air-ship!” shouted Dooley.

“Ahoy!” replied Nicodemus.

“We want to parley.”

“Spout away!”

There was a moment of silence. Then Dooley resumed:

“I have reconsidered my determination of a few hours ago in regard to the treasure. On the whole I believe a just division no more than fair!”

Nicodemus turned with a gasp to Frank:

“Well, of all assurance,” he exclaimed, “the scoundrel thinks we have the gold, and, of course, is cunning enough to see that this is his only hope of getting any of it.”

“He is a scamp,” said Frank, “evidently he thinks we are soft.”

“But that is his mistake.”

“Rather!”

“What shall I tell him?”

“Let me talk with him.”

Frank went to the rail.

“So you have really changed your mind, Mr. Dooley!” with sarcasm.

“Yes, I was a little hasty,” replied the villain; “I did not consider the matter sufficiently.”

“Well, you probably think you are dealing with fools.”

“Eh?” gasped the villain.

“We have not the slightest idea of adhering to the terms suggested at this late day.”

“What! You are not going to keep all that gold yourself?”

“We have not got it.”

Words cannot depict Dooley’s utter amazement.

“Not got it?” he repeated.

“We have not.”

“Why—who has then?”

“We do not know.”

“Then it is gone?”

“Yes.”

Loud and bitter curses broke from Dooley’s lips. He ran forward almost to the air-ship’s rail.

“Then there has been some treachery at work,” he declared—“some hocus-pocus game. I tell you there is the mound where the gold was——”

He turned suddenly and sprang upon the mound. A glance into the interior satisfied him.

With livid face he descended. He came nearer to the air-ship’s rail.

“Where can that gold have gone?” he asked, huskily; “has some other party been here before us?”

“I cannot answer that question,” replied Frank; “but one thing is certain, the gold is gone. Our theory is that the ship’s crew departed for the shore with it and were overtaken by the tidal wave on the way.”

“In that case the gold is with their bones.”

“Yes.”

A light of hope lit up the villain’s face. He averted his gaze, and continued shrewdly:

“We must search for it.”

“Yes,” replied Frank, “that is the only way. But if we are to be foes all the while——”

“No, no,” cried Dooley, craftily; “we will not fight each other. It shall be agreed that whoever finds the gold there shall be a fair division.”

“Will you swear to that?”

“Yes.”

“All right,” said Frank, sternly; “but now let me impress upon you one fact. We have the best of the situation. If you attempt any treachery or go back on your agreement, I’ll exterminate the whole of you. With my air-ship I can do it.”

The rascal’s shifting gaze met Frank’s a moment. He could not help but see that the young inventor was in earnest. So he said with an affectation of servility:

“You need have no fear. I always stand by my agreement.”

Dooley went back to his men. Frank turned back from the rail and met the approving gaze of Nicodemus.

“You handled him well, Frank,” said the captain, approvingly. “Nothing could have been better.”

“Now we can search for the gold with safety.”

“Yes.”

Pomp took his position at the wheel and keyboard. Barney and Frank and the captain were to prosecute the search.

Already Dooley’s men were at work. They were scattered in all directions digging up the sand and following every sign of a trail.

Alighting from the air-ship, our trio of adventurers went forward.

Captain Beere’s hypothesis was that the men must have set out with the gold in the direction of the camp. So they proceeded that way.

Long and persistent and careful was the quest. Finally the day drew to a close.

As it was useless to attempt the quest in the darkness, Frank and his companions returned to the air-ship. The others bivouacked near.

Our adventurers were extremely weary with their day’s work. As soon as they had partaken of the hearty meal prepared by Pomp it was proposed to turn in.

And this they did. Pomp was left on guard, to be relieved by Barney in the early morning hours.

The darky paced the deck until long past midnight. Then he heard a low, sibilant whistle come from the gloom. In a moment his rifle hammer rose.

“Who am dar?” he asked, sharply.

“Easy, nigger! don’t get excited,” came back the reply. “I’m only one of Dooley’s men.”

“Wha’ yo’ want?”

“It’s durned lonesome up thar. Hev you got a chaw of terbacker?”

Pomp saw nothing in this request that could imply harm. The natural good-fellowship of man to man warmed within him, and he was too generous a soul not to reply.

“Reckon I hab, sah. Cum down yere an’ I gib yo’ a hunk!”

“Thank yer.”

A hulking form came down from the gloom to the air-ship’s rail. A grimy hand clutched the tobacco.

“Ugh! that’s good terbacker. Reckon you ain’t found no gold yet.”

“Not a bit,” returned the darky; “don’ keer much fer sich stuff mahself.”

“Jest my sentiments presactly. I wouldn’t give thet terbacker fer the hull of it. Any objections if I sit up thar wid ye? I’m powerful lonesome an’ wish I was back in Charleston.”

“You from Charleston, eh?”

“Yes.”

Pomp hesitated a moment. Yet he could see no harm after all. He was armed, the other was not. Neither did he believe any treachery was intended.

So the fellow, who gave his name as Jack Bowler, able seaman, came over the rail, and the two had a social chat. An hour drifted by.

Pomp had waxed real friendly with his new companion and was pleased to be able to have some one to help him while away the night hours and help keep guard as well.

The fellow told many entertaining stories of life upon the high seas, and all went smooth as a marriage bell for a time.

Suddenly Jack Bowler asked:

“What time are ye relieved?”

“About three o’clock, sah,” replied Pomp; “dat I’ishman he gib me a chaince to sleep den.”

Bowler knocked the ashes from his pipe. Then he leaned over against Pomp, and whispered:

“Look forward there! Don’t ye see somebody?”

Pomp turned his head in the direction indicated. Fatal move it proved for him.

The next moment the world swam about him, and then he knew no more.

With terrific force Bowler had struck him over the head with a heavy iron instrument. The negro’s head was proverbially hard, but it was not hard enough for that.

In an instant Bowler was upon his feet.

He took a step toward the cabin and listened. Then he gave a shrill, hardly audible whistle.

Down through the gloom from the camp above came a number of dark forms. Over the rail they came.

One of them whispered to Bowler:

“You did your work well, Jack. The rest are in the cabin, are they?”

“They are, cap’n. We ought to make sure of ’em in their sleep. Dead men tell no tales.”